Cabinet drawer and door opener



April 2, 1968 w. BOL .ETAL

CABINET DRAWER AND DOOR OPENER Filed July 19, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTORS WILL/AM 50L 05527- 6. JG/IA/SOA/ P 1968 w. BOL ETAL 3,376,088

CABINET DRAWER AND DOOR OPENER Filed July 19, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet :3

II illi I we; Wa /5E! 'I IIIIIII.;IIII 115;"

INVENTORS'.

27 W/LL/AM 50L Y 05522" 6. Jam/50v April 1953 w. BOL ETAL 3,376,088

CABINET DRAWER AND DOOR OPENER Filed July 19, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

A TIOE/VEV W. BOL ETAL April 2, 1968 CABINET DRAWER AND DOOR OPENER 4Sheets-$heet 4 Filed July 19, 1 966 United States Patent G 3,376,088CABINET DRAWER AND DOOR OPENER William Bol, 3556 NE. 110th, Seattle,Wash. 98125, and

Robert G. Johnson, Edmonds, Wash, said Johnson assignor to said BolFiled July 19, 1965, Ser. No. 566,263 10 Claims. (Cl. 312-319) ABSTRACT(IF THE DISCLOSURE A pusher for exerting an opening force on a cabinetdoor or drawer and interengageable between such cabinet door or drawerand stationary cabinet structure includes a plunger slidably received ina barrel. A compression spring interengaged between the plunger and thebarrel can move them forcefully into relatively extended relationship.Intermittently operable latch means engageable between the barrel andthe plunger to hold them in contracted condition at the end of onestroke and to permit relative extension of such parts during the nextstroke include indexing projections and notches to effect relativerotation of a tubular latch element incrementally first to a position inwhich tubular latch element engages the barrel to hold the compressionspring in contracted condition and then to a position in which thetubular member is released for movement lengthwise of the barrel by thespring, which simultaneously moves the plunger into extendedrelationship relative to the barrel.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a drawer or doorpusher which can be mounted unobtrusively in cabinetwork in position forexerting a thrust on a cabinet drawer or door, and which will be hiddenfrom view at least when the drawer or door is closed and be hidden fromview even when the drawer or door is open. In any event the pusher is ofcompact structure so that it will not interfere appreciably with thecapacity of a drawer or cupboard and will not be prominent inappearance.

Despite the compact character of the pusher it is an object to providesuch a pusher which will produce a reasonably strong thrust and yet willbe easy to operate. This operation also will be reliable and safe sothat the drawer or door cannot be secured inadvertently in closedposition so that it cannot be opened.

Another object is to provide such a drawer and door opener which isversatile and can be mounted in different attitudes and positions andwhich is adjustable to vary the location of the thrust-exerting partswhile having a stroke of constant length.

It is also an object to enable the degree of thrust exerted by aparticular pusher to be selected or altered for a pusher of given size,and the pusher can be produced in different sizes for difierent types ofinstallations.

A further object is to provide such a pusher which is composed of fewparts but can be assembled readily, and which pusher can either be ofdemountable construction or can be permanently assembled.

An additional object is to provide such a pusher which can be installedand removed quickly and easily.

A pusher capable of achieving the foregoing objects is composedprincipally of a plunger slidably received in a barrel or body andprojecting beyond one end of such barrel or body mounted on a cabinet,and it is interengageable between the object to be pushed, such as acabinet drawer or door, and stationary cabinet structure. A pushingforce or thrust to open the drawer or door is produced by a compressionspring interengaged between the plunger and the barrel expansible tomove them "ice forcefully into relatively extended relationship. Latchmeans latchable between the barrel and the spring hold the spring incontracted condition and are releasable for movement of the plunger intoextended position relative to the body by expansion of the spring. Suchlatch means includes a latch member rotatable relative to the bodybetween a position slidable lengthwise of the body and a latchedposition in latching engagement with the body to limit its movementrelative to the body in the extending direction of the plunger. Indexingmeans engageable between the rotatable latch member and the plungereffect rotation of the rotatable latch member relative to the bodybetween latched and unlatched positions.

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective of a pusher shown m stalled in a drawerend, a portion of which is broken away, and FIGURE 2 is a similar viewin which parts of the pusher are broken away to reveal internalstructure.

FIGURE 3 is a top perspective of the pusher showing its components inexploded relationship.

FIGURES 4 to 8, inclusive, are side elevations of the pusher with partsbroken away and showing the various components in different operativerelationships.

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation of a pusher having a somewhat modifiedconstruction with parts broken away. FIGURE 10 is a longitudinal axialsection through such pusher, and FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 9with components in a different operative relationship. FIGURE 12 is atransverse section through the pusher taken on line 1212 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 13 is a top perspective of a pusher similar to that shown inFIGURE 1 but having a diiferent type of mounting structure.

FIGURE 14 is a top perspective of a pusher having still a different typeof mounting structure and otherwise having a somewhat modifiedconstruction.

FIGURE 15 is a side elevation of such pusher installed as a cabinet dooropener, and FIGURE 16 is a top perspective of the same pusher.

FIGURE 17 is a top perspective of selected internal components of thepusher shown in FIGURE 14 with such components in exploded relationship.FIGURE 18 is a longitudinal central section through the pushercomponents of FIGURE 17 with such components in assembled relationship.

FIGURE 19 is a longitudinal central section through the pusher of FIGURE14.

While the pusher of the present invention can be made in various sizesand shapes for different types of installation, two typical pushers areshown in FIGURES 1 and 14 in particular which are especially suitablefor use as a cabinet drawer opener and as a cabinet door opener,respectively. In both cases use of such an opener avoids the necessityof providing a drawer pull or a door pull by which a pulling force mustbe exerted on the drawer or door to open it. Instead, if the drawer ordoor is pushed inward slightly and then released, the opener will exerta sufiicient thrust on the drawer or door at least to start openingmovement of such drawer or door. The drawer or door can be closed simplyby pushing it closed which will automatically cock the pusherpreparatory to being tripped for efiecting the next opening thrust.

In FIGURE 1 to 13 the pusher is shown as being composed of a barrel body1 from which radial mounting ears 2 project oppositely. These mountingears have apertures in them to receive screws 3 for securing such earsto the end wall D of a drawer, for example. In FIGURE 1 such earsproject from one end of the barrel so that the adjacent portion of thebarrel projects through an aperture in the drawer end and extends beyondit into the drawer. In the modified pusher of FIGURE 13 the mountingears 2' project oppositely from the barrel 1 near its opposite end, sothat the length of the barrel between such mounting ears and theadjacent barrel end is substantially equal to the thickness of thedrawer end D. Consequently, while the portion of the barrel beyond theears 2 projects into and substantially through the drawer end D, suchbarrel end preferably is flush with the inner wall of the drawer so thatthe barrel does not obstruct the drtawer at all. Such mounting earscould, of course, be placed at any other location desired along thelength of the barrel.

In the end of the barrel 1 opening outward from the drawer is slidablyreceived a plunger 4 having external lands 5 and grooves 6. The end ofthe barrel through which the plunger slides has an internal flange inwhich grooves 7 and lugs 8 are formed of a size and shape complementalto the lands 5 and grooves 6 of the plunger. The barrel lugs 8 fitted inthe plunger grooves 6 and the plunger lands 5 fitted in the barrelgrooves 7 prevent relative rotation of the plunger and barrel whileguiding these components for relative reciprocation between contractedand extended positions. Extension movement of the plunger 4 relative tothe barrel 1 is limited by engagement of the barrel lugs 8 with theblind ends 9 of the plunger grooves 6. Consequently, it is necessary toassemble the plunger into the barrel through the barrel end oppositethat bearing the grooves 7 and lugs 8.

In the end of the plunger 4 which projects through the end of the barrel1 is an internally threaded aperture 10 into which a bolt 11 having asmooth head 12 can be screwed. This bolt can be held firmly in anydesired position projecting from the end of plunger 4 by a locknut 13screwed tightly against the plunger end. The overall length of thecombined barrel and plunger, whether in the contracted position ofFIGURES 2 and 6 or in the extended position of FIGURE 4, can thus bealtered to suit a particular installation space. The entire plunger andextension bolt assembly is thus movable as a unit relative to the barrel1 between such contracted and extended positions.

The length of the barrel 1 exceeds considerably the length of theplunger 4 so that such barrel can accommodate within its end portionremote from its end through which the plunger 4 projects a reciprocablelatch tube 14 shown best in FIGURES 3 through 8. Unlike the plunger 4,such latch tube is rotatable relative to the barrel 1, but such rotationis controlled so that it occurs step-bystep in a predetermined sequenceof movements correlated with latching and unlatching of the tube withrespect to the barrel to permit or limit relative longitudinal movementof these parts.

Relative rotation of the latch tube 14 and the barrel 1 is effected byproduction of a circumferential wedging force between coacting inclinedsurfaces forming the ends of the indexing projections 15 on one end ofthe latch tube and the inclined sides of notches 16 on the adjacent orinner end of the plunger 4. Engagement of such notches with theprojections is effected by movement of the plunger axially into thebarrel in opposition to a spring force urging the barrel and plungertoward a relative extended relationship.

Within the latch tube 14 is a spring case 17. Such spring casepreferably is both rotatable and slidable lengthwise relative to thelatch tube. Relative extension movement of these parts is limited byinterengagement of an external circumferential coupling flange 18 on oneend of the spring case 17 with the internal circumferential couplingflange 19 on the end of latch tube 14 which carries the indexingprojections 15. A helical compression spring 20 extends through thespring case 17 and the latch tube 14 in which it fits. One end of thisspring bears on the shoulder formed by the internal flange 21 in the endportion of the spring case remote from the external coupling flange 18.

The spring 20, latch tube 14, spring case 17 and 4 plunger 4 areconfined within the barrel 1 by an end cap 22 closing the end of suchbarrel opposite that through which the plunger 4 projects. The end ofspring 241 remote from flange 21 bears on the spring seat'boss 23projecting from the inner side of the cap and the spring 20 is preventedfrom buckling by a stem 24 which projects from such boss into theinterior of the spring, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 8. Movement of the capinto the barrel end is limited by the shoulder projecting beyond theperiphery 25 of the cap formed by the radial flange 26, which shoulderabuts the end of the barrel 1 while the caps periphery fits inside thebarrel, as shown best in FIGURE 2.

On the end position of the latch tube 14 are provided latch lugs 27projecting radially outward from the sur face of the latch tube, andwhich are spaced circumferentially of it. Preferably several of theselatch lugs cuted by the latch tube during relative movement of theplunger 4 and barrel 1 between extended and retracted positions. In theend of each guide rib remote from the open end of the barrel throughwhich plunger 4 projects is a latch-releasing shoulder 29 and a latchsocket 30 engageable by an end of a latch lug 27. The end of such latchlug which engages such latch-releasing shoulder and latch socket isinclined circumferentially of the latch tube, and such latch-releasingshoulder and the opposite entering side of the latch socket are inclinedcomplementally to the inclination of such latch lug end.

When a latch lug is urged in a direction to press its inclined endagainst an inclined latch-releasing shoulder 29, the resulting wedgingaction effects rotation of the latch tube 14 carrying such lug relativeto the barrel body until such lug can slide alongside the guide rib 28.Simi* larly, when a latch lug 27 is pressed toward the end of a guiderib 28 at its side opposite its latch-releasing shoulder, the inclinedend of such lug cooperating with the inclined side of the latch socketwill wedge such lug circumferentially to rotate the latch tube 14relative to the barrel 1 until the end of the latch lug seats in thebottom of the latch socket. Such engagement of the latch lug in thelatch socket will restrain rotation of the latch tube in eitherdirection relative to the barrel 1 and also will prevent the spring 20from moving the latch tube longitudinally of the barrel toward its openend to move the plunger into its extended position.

As shown best in FIGURE 3 the guide ribs 28 are spaced apartcircumferentially to provide guide grooves along which adjacent latchlugs 27 can move, as indicated in FIGURES 4 to 8, so that the plunger 4can moveinto its extended position relative to the barrel. Suchextension movement produced by the force of spring 20 is terminated byengagement of the blind ends of the plunger grooves 6 with the barrellugs 8 as shown in FIGURE 9.

The procedure for assembling the various components of the opener shownin FIGURES l to 8 and 13 is indicated by the exploded arrangement of thecomponents shown in FIGURE 3. First, the plunger 4 can be inserted intothe end of the barrel or body at least to the position shown in FIGURE2. The spring case 17 can then be inserted into the end of latch tube 14remote from the internal flange 19, and the compression spring 20 can beinserted into this spring case. Next the stem 24 of the end cap 22 canbe inserted through the spring, and the assembled components 14, 17, 20and 22 can then be slid into the body 1 behind the plunger 4. Theperiphery 25 of the end cap and the flange 26 can be secured to the bodyend in any suitable fashion, such as by bonding if desired for theassembly to be permanent.

After the internal parts have been assembled into the barrel body 1 inthe manner described, the bolt 11 can be screwed into the threadedaperture in the projecting end of the plunger after the locknut 13 hasbeen threaded onto such bolt. The bolt head 12 should be smooth and madeof durable material so as not to become worn by repeated engagement witha reaction surface. Such bolt head can be made of molded plasticmaterial such as nylon or could be formed integral with the bolt, beingmade of brass or stainless steel. The body 1, plunger 4, latch tube 14,spring case 17 and end cap and stem can all be made quickly andeconomically of molded plastic material such as nylon. These partsshould be reasonably hard and strong, and the surfaces should be rathersmooth and slippery to reduce friction, but the requirements for suchmaterial are not particularly exacting. The spring 20 will of course bemade of conventional spring steel. The various parts could be made ofmetal but they could not be cast to sufficiently close tolerances aseasily as if made of plastic. If the parts are made of metal, however,the cap could be soldered to the body and if made of plastic the cap canbe bonded to the body by suitable adhesive.

In FIGURES 9, 10 and 11 a different type of cap construction is shown inwhich an axial flange or skirt 25' projects inwardly concentrically withthe spring seat boss 23. When the cap is fitted onto the end of thebarrel such skirt will project into the body end and may be secured tosuch body end by pins 25" extending through the body and the flange. Itit is desired to secure such a cap permanently to the barrel, the pins25" can be headless and driven into the assembly until their outer endsare flush with the outer surface of the barrel. If it is desired toenable the opener to be demounted readily, such pins could be headed sothat they could be withdrawn and, if desired, the pins could be threadedand their outer ends or heads could be formed with a screwdriver slotenabling them to be unscrewed.

When a drawer opener of the type shown in FIG- URES 1 to 12 or thatshown in FIGURE 13 has been installed in the inner end wall D of adrawer, for example, as shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 4 to 11 and 13, theplunger 4 initially can be in its extended position relative to the body1, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 9. As the drawer is pushed inwardly thehead 12 eventually will engage a stationary wall W of the cabinet behindthe drawer as shown in FIGURE 8. As the drawer is pushed farther inwardtoward closed position, the body will be moved closer to the head 12,which is held stationary by its engagement with the wall W, from theposition of FIGURE 4 until the broken-line relationship is reached,which is the latched or cocked position of FIGURE 6.

During contracting movement of the barrel 1 and the plunger 4 the springseat end of spring case 17 is bottomed within the plunger as shown inFIGURE 10. As mentioned above, the plunger 4 is held against rotationrelative to the barrel 1 by engagement of the body lugs 8 in the plungergrooves 6. Also, the latch tube 14 will be held against rotationrelative to the barrel 1 by engagement of latch lugs 27 with sides ofthe guide ribs 28 as long as these parts are in circumferentialregistry. As the body 1 is pushed inward relative to the plunger 4 fromthe position of FIGURE 4 to that of FIGURE 5, the spring 20 will becompressed increasingly between the spring seat 23 and the bottom of thespring case 17.

Shortly after the body has been moved to the left, as seen in FIGURE 5,far enough to shift the right end of the guide ribs 28 beyond the latchlugs 27, the inclined sides of indexing projections 15 will bear againstthe inclined sides of indexing notches 16 near their separating peaks inthe position of FIGURE 4. Wedging pressure between the inclined sides ofthe indexing notches 16 and the inclined ends of the indexingprojections 15 will exert a torque on the latch tube 14 tending torotate it relative to the body 1 in a counterclockwise direction as seenin FIG- URE 12. Such Wedging action will cause the latch tube 14 torotate from the position of FIGURE 4 to the position of FIGURE 5, andthe indexing projections 15 will slide into the bottoms of theirrespective indexing notches 16 to the position shown in FIGURE 5. It isdesirable that a plurality of such indexing projections be providedspaced equidistantly circumferentially around the latch tube 14, so thatthe pressure of the plunger on the latch tube projections will bedistributed uniformly circumferentially.

As the pressure on the bolt head 12 is relieved, the pressure of spring20 will move the barrel 1 to the right as seen in FIGURES 5 and 6relative to latch tube 14 and press the inclined entrance sides of thelatch sockets 30 aganist the complementally inclined ends of latch lugs27. The latch tube 14 will be rotated from the position of FIGURE 5toward the position of FIGURE 6 because of the Wedging force exerted bysuch engagement of the inclined ends of the lugs 27 and the latchsockets. Such movement will continue until the latch lugs seat in thebottoms of the sockets as illusrtated in FIGURE 6.

With the latch tube 14 in the cocked position of FIG- URE 6 the spring20 is held contracted against exertion of force on the plunger 4 by theengagement of lugs 27 in the latch sockets 30. Consequently, thisplunger will remain in the position of FIGURE 6 instead of being pushedinto extended position relative to barrel 1. Rotation of the latch tube14 into the position of FIGURE 6 has, however, been sufficient so thatthe indexing projections 15 have been rotated past the crests betweenadjacent indexing notches 16 so that again the inclined ends of theindexing porjections 15 may bear lengthwise of the pusher on inclinedsides of indexing notches 16.

If the drawer is now pushed inward a short additional distance, asindicated by the broken arrow at the right of FIGURE 7, the body 1 andguide ribs 28 will be pushed relative to the plunger 4 and latch tube 14so that the ends of such ribs have been withdrawn from the latch lugs 27and they are clear of sockets 30. Continued movement of barrel 1 to theleft will engage the inclined ends of lugs 15 with the inclined sides ofindexing notches 16 and exert sufficient pressure between such inclinedsurfaces to effect counterclockwise rotation as seen in FIGURE 12 of thelatch tube 14 until the lugs 15 have seated in the notches 16 with whichthey were engaged, as shown in FIGURE 7.

Such rotation of the latch tube 14 moves the latch lugs 27 intopositions indicated in FIGURE 7, in which the inclined ends of the latchlugs 27 are in longitudinal registry with the inclined latch-releasingshoulders 29. If the inward pressure on the drawer is released undersuch circumstances the force of spring 20 will press the latch lugs 27and the latch-releasing shoulders 29 together. Because of theinclination of these surfaces relative to the direction of force aWedging action will be produced which will effect further rotationalforce on the latch tube 14 in the counterclockwise direction as seen inFIG- URE 12, causing lug 15 to climb out of notch 16 along its lowerinclined edge, as seen in FIGURE 7, and thereby permitting simultaneousrotation of latch tube 14 until the latch lugs slip past the guide ribs28 to the position of FIGURE 8. The body can then continue to move tothe right, and the spring 20 will effect such movement. The latch tubein turn will press against the plunger 4 to cause it to move into itsextended relationship to the body 1. Because such plunger cannot move tothe left as seen in FIGURE 8 since it is bearing against the cabinetwall W, the barrel body 1 and the drawer end D to which it is attachedwill be forced to the right. The thrust thus exterted on these partswill move the drawer into a partially open position.

When the drawer is opened farther simply by pulling on it, the pusherwill be drawn outwardly with the drawer, while the parts are maintinedin the relationship shown in FIGURE 4. When it is desired to close thedrawer, it will simply be pushed inward until the bolt head 12 engagesthe cabinet wall W, and then the pushing force will be continued to movethe bolt and plunger through the broken lines illustrated in FIGURE 8relative to the barrel 1. Such movement will continue until the lugs 27have been shifted beyond the right ends of the guide ribs 28 aspreviously explained, whereupon the engagement of the indexingprojections 15 and the indexing notches 16 will effect rotation of thelate-h tube 14 into the position of FIGURE 5. As pressure on the draweris released the components will move into the cocked position of FIG-URE 6 in the manner previously explained.

The opener shown in FIGURES 14 to 19, inclusive, operates on the sameprinciple as that described in connection with FIGURES 1 to 13 above.The opener of FIGURES 14 to 19, however, is particularly adapted for usein connection with a cabinet door rather than a drawer. In this instancethe barrel body 1 has mounting ears 2" projecting from opposite sides ofthe body and disposed in a plane which is tangential to a side of thebody so that the body can be secured in position with such side engaginga mounting surface, as shown in FIG- URES 15 and 16. The body can besecured in such a position by screws 3' extending through apertures inthe ears 2". The mounting surface S can be one side of a shelf locatedadjacent to a door D in closed position.

Within the barrel 1 is received the plunger 4 having lands 5' andgrooves 6 which fit notches 7' and lugs 8' at the end of the barrel 1'like the corresponding parts of the opener described previously. Suchlugs engage the blind ends 9 of the grooves 6', and an internallythreaded aperture 10' in the end of the plunger receives the bolt 11'having the head 12'. Such bolt is secured in place by the locknut 13. Alatch tube 14 has projections 15' cooperating with the indexing notches16' on the end of the plunger 4'. Spring casing 17' fits within thelatch tube 14' and plunger 4', and its external coupling flange 18'engages the internal coupling flange 19'. The spring 20 fits within thespring case 17 as shown in FIGURE 19. Opposite ends of such spring bearagainst the internal flange 21 of the spring case and encircle or bearon the spring seat boss 23' on the cap 22'.

It will be recognized that these various Parts correspond to the partsof the opener shown in FIGURES 1 to 12, which are similarly numbered,although the size and proportions of some of these parts are different.Similarly the stem 24', the latch lugs 27 and the guide ribs 28' aresimilar to the correspondingly numbered parts of the opener shown inFIGURES 1 to 12 and function in a similar manner. In this instance,however, the opener is shown as being installed in a position reversedend-for-end from that disclosed in FIGURES 1 to 12. As has beenexplained, in such figures the opener is mounted on the movable element,namely the drawer, whereas the device of FIGURES 15 and 16 is mountedstationarily, and the head 12' is engageable with the movable element,which in that instance is a cabinet door. It would, of course, bepossible to mount the opener of FIGURES 1 to 12 on or in the wall W in aposition such that the head 12 of the pusher would engage the back ofthe drawer. Similarly, the device of FIG- URES 14 and 19 could bemounted on the door in a position such that the head 12' would engage astationary element of the cabinet.

Where the opener is mounted stationarily as shown in FIGURES 15 and 16for opening a door, it may also be desirable for the pusher to becapable of holding the door closed when it has been moved to closedposition. For this purpose a magnet 32 is shown as being embeded in thehead 12 of the pusher, which magnet can simply be a bar magnet. A plate33 of magnetic material is mounted on the cabinet door D by screws 34 ina position for engagement with the magnet 32 when the door is closed, asshown in FIGURES 1S and 16. The body 1' should be secured on the shelf Sin a position such that when the opener is in cocked condition and themagnetic plate 33 is in engagement with the bolt head 12, the outersurface 8 of the door D will be flush with the outer surface of thecabinet.

In order to open the door D thus held closed, it is merely necessary topress the door inward a distance sufficient to trigger the door openerin the manner described above and then release the door. The spring 20'will drive the plunger 4 outward to force the door open;

and, when the shoulders 9 of groove 6' engage the lugs 8 to interruptoutward movement of the plunger, the door will continue to move towardopen position because of its inertia and will thus pull the magneticplate 33 away from the magnet 32. The door can be closed simply byswinging it into a position so that the plate 33 will engage the head12, and then the door is pushed farther inward so that its outer surfacemoves beyond the outer surface of the cabinet to cock the opener.

The opener of FIGURES l6 and 19 is shown as having a cap 22' somewhatdifferent from the cup 22 of the opener shown in FIGURES l to 13. Inthis instance the cap is of a size to fit within the bore of the barrel1 in the inner wall of which sockets 35 are provided. Hooks 36 integralwith the cap 22 project axially inward from opposite sides of themarginal portion of the cap in positions corresponding to the sockets35. The radially outer ends of the hooks are inclined so that eventhough their points project radially beyond the circumference of the cap22' the hooks can pass into the end of the barrel by being bent slightlytoward each other as a result of wedging engagement with the barrel end.As the cap is pushed into the end portion of the barrel far enough sothat the hooks come into registry with the sockets 35, such hooks beingof resilient character will snap outward into locking engagement withsuch sockets to secure the cap in place on the barrel.

We claim as our invention:

1. An opener for cabinet drawers, doors and the like comprising anelongated body, mounting means for mounting said body on a cabinet, aplunger projecting beyond one end of said body and movable lengthwiserelative thereto between extended and contracted positions compressionspring means retracting between said body and said plunger andexpansible for effecting an opening thrust by relative extensionmovement of said body and said plunger, and latch means latchablebetween said spring means and said body for holding said spring means incontracted condition and releasable for movement of said plunger intoextended position relative to said body by expansion of said springmeans.

2. The opener defined in claim 1, in which the body is a barrel, theplunger is slidably received in the barrel body and the spring means arelocated in the barrel, the latch means being engageable with the barrelto hold the spring means in contracted condition relative to the barrel.

3. The opener defined in claim 1, in which the latch means arereleasable automatically from the body by fur ther contraction of theplunger and body beyond their contracted relationship when the latchmeans are latched.

4. The opened defined in claim 1, and stop means engageable between thebody and the plunger for limiting extension movement thereof.

5. The opener defined in claim 1, in which the plunger includes meansfor varying its effective length.

6. The opener defined in claim '1, in which the mounting means includesears carried by the body.

7. The opener defined in claim 1, in which the latch means includes alatch member rotatable relative to the body between a position slidablelengthwise of the body and a latched position in latching engagementwith the body to limit its movement relative to the body in theextending direction of the plunger.

8. The opener defined in claim 7, and indexing means engageable betweenthe rotatable latch member and the plunger for effecting rotation of therotatable latch mem- 9 ber relative to the body between latched andunlatched positions.

9. The opener defined in claim 8, in which the indexing means includesWedging means engageable to eflect relative rotation of the rotatablelatch member and the plunger.

10. The opened defined in claim 1, in which the plunger is generallycylindrical, the body has a generally circular opening in one endthrough which the plunger slides, the

plunger has lands and grooves on its outer surface e; tend 10 inglengthwise thereof, and the body opening has notches and lugscomplemental to and engageable with the lands and grooves of the body tolimit relative rotation of the body and plunger.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,667,399 1/ 1954 Swimmer 3 12319 2,823,090 2/1958 Roehm 312-333 2,935,894 5/1960 Coronado-Ame.

FOREIGN PATENTS 689,828 6/1964 Canada.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 ,376,088 April 2 1968 William Bol et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 8, line 40, "positions" should read positions, line 41,"retracting" should read reacting line 51, cancel "body"; line 59,"opened" should read opener Column 9, line 7, "opened" should readopener Signed and sealed this 7th day of October 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

